


Making the Best of It

by Dolston17



Series: Peraltiago Moments [6]
Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: Amy Santiago Loves Jake Peralta, Attempt at Humor, Christmas, Christmas Party, F/M, Frustration, Jake Peralta Loves Amy Santiago, Parents Jake Peralta/Amy Santiago, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:08:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28089024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dolston17/pseuds/Dolston17
Summary: Amy reflects over her life throughout the night.
Relationships: Jake Peralta & Amy Santiago, Jake Peralta/Amy Santiago
Series: Peraltiago Moments [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2007391
Comments: 25
Kudos: 52





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Exams are over, and that feels good XD  
> So I've seen plenty of new Christmas fics, which is not surprising, and I decided to have a go at one myself. I actually remembered an old fanfic I read, from another fandom, like, 3 yrs ago, and I can't find it anymore. So decided to write something similar myself hehe
> 
> Italics denote Amy's inner thoughts.

Being a lieutenant is something Amy's wanted for so long. For one thing it's the penultimate step before becoming captain, which she has to be within the next five years if she wants to be the youngest ever. But it also brings a new sense of responsibility, a new sense of authority. It was obviously sad to leave the Nine-Nine, but even she knew that she couldn't work her entire life there. And even if she were to spend her entire time as lieutenant there, she did know that she'd eventually have to leave to captain another precinct. So the best idea was probably to spread her wings.

A month into working at the Five-Three was actually great. Not that she was coming with extremely low hopes, but she knew the perks of being new at a precinct. It was the most disgusting, angering and frustrating feeling knowing that people undermined you for being a Cuban woman. She didn't think everyone would be racist or sexist, but there were always the few who were. Even when she moved to the Nine-Nine, the most diverse and open-minded precinct she'd ever been in, there was a detective - Gordon Lynn - who refused to work with her because he she was a female. The next day, the then captain, McGintley, fired him.

So, she was hopeful the Five-Three was not going to be like that; but she also thought there were always going to be the few that would never change. It was a pleasant surprise to know that her new precinct was glad to have her, and it showed, too - from preparing her a welcome card signed by every member of the precinct, to letting her leave work earlier than usual the first week as she got used to the environment. So far everything had been wonderful.

But now that she was two months into her new post, there were times she wanted that first week back. And even more so tonight.

The amount of her paperwork had increased significantly, because she had been assigned to so many on-field cases. She loved both, and usually made a point of finishing the paperwork of one case as soon as possible. But being a lieutenant meant also helping the others around her more, both on-field and paperwork. It certainly didn't help that she actually had someplace else to be tonight, but she always did put work before anything else. Well... except earlier today when she had to rush to Mac's daycare center to pick him up. Normally, that would be Jake's job, but he did call her because he'd be out on a stakeout, so she had to go pick up their son. And by within that one hour of picking him up and coming back to the precinct, she could have finished some paperwork. But she just had to take it on the chin and move on. After all, it wasn't like she could blame her three-year old for not being able to return home himself!

She glances at her watch before quickly looking at the officer sitting across her.

'Robert, I understand that you're having trouble with the paperwork here. But I'm really running late for something, so do you think we can have a look at this tomorrow instead?'

_(Please just say yes.)_

'I, um... I actually have to send this is in tomorrow...'

She feels like screaming, shouting, cursing, anything to let out her frustrations. Why, oh why, do people procrastinate, she asks herself. It just adds to the pressure, something which she is absolutely not ready for right now.

'Okay... Well, I'm gonna take this home then, and have a look at it tomorrow morning,' she says as she packs the folders. ' _But_ ,' she cuts in sharply after seeing the relief on his face, 'You cannot go around expecting others to complete your work hours before they're due.'

_(Even my son knows that, and he's three!)_

'Yes, ma'am.'

When the officer leaves, Amy sighs in frustration. She's already a few minutes late, and she knows her mother is going to kill her for arriving late to the party. It's not even her mother's party; it's David's. And anything of David's becomes the most important thing in the world to their mother because he is the golden child. So she can expect some sort of beratement from her parents tonight. But the faster she gets there, the less crap she'll have to take from her parents. So she calls Jake, to make sure he's at least done with his stakeout. But even she knows stakeouts can go on for hours, so it's anyone's guess if he's home by now or not.

'Hey, Ames!'

'Jake? Are you done with your stakeout?'

'What? The stakeout? That was, like, two hours ago!'

'Oh, okay, good. So you're home already?'

'No, I'm at Shaw's. Apparently, Cagney got into her school's debate team, so Terry's buying us drinks. Oh, hey, you should totally join us!'

She can feel the grip on her phone increase as she becomes frustrated even more. They've been talking about this night for the past week or so, about how they need to be perfect and that the slightest of imperfections will be enough for Camila to criticize them. Yet he's at a bar, getting drunk. 

'Jake we're supposed to be at David's soon!'

'That was today?! Shit! I'll get home soon.'

Well, that's one of her boys sorted out.

* * *

Amy feels guilty as she walks through the corridor to get to the precinct's soft room. Mac's been in there for the past three hours, and, even though there is a person to look after kids here, she can only wonder how much Mac-ness (as she and Jake call it) a person can take. She loves her son without a doubt, but there are times when Mac can get completely out of control, and he goes from absolute agreement and friendliness to throwing fits in the middle of the street. She hopes Mac's fine, too. The boy hasn't actually been with his parents the whole day, barring the mere hours it took in dropping him at his daycare and then picking him up.

It makes her feel even worse when she does enter the soft room to find the supervisor trying to console a three-year old with red, puffy eyes, tears rolling down his chubby cheeks as he tries to wipe them with his sleeves. It's never a pretty sight to see your child cry, never. And even though she tells herself that it's fine, that children cry over the simplest of things (which does turn out to be the case more often than not), a part of thinks something's wrong, deathly wrong.

'Hey... Hey, Mac, sweetie, what's wrong?' she asks softly, now kneeling down in front of him.

For a moment, it looks like the crying has stopped as he turns from the supervisor to his mother. He just stands there, sniffling and sobbing with pools of tears in his eyes, as if trying to understand the premise of her question. Amy, meanwhile thinks he was only crying because he missed her, but is fine now that she's come to him. It's something that's happened before, albeit rarely. But the boy once again starts crying loudly as he collapses onto her.

'Hey, hey... Sh... It's okay, I'm here...'

While is does hurt her to see her child crying, she has to admit that hugging him and running her hand through his curls is something she has always loved. Just holding onto him has been one of her favorite things in life ever since he was born. When he was an infant, she used to hold him close to her, a sign telling him that she'd always protect him no matter what. But now he's three, and can walk all on his own, so she doesn't need to carry him. But it's times like these when he just holds onto her tight, that she feels happy, as ironic as it may be, because she's the one he looks to for comfort.

'Do you want to tell me what happened?' she whispers into his ear.

'Ca-Candy cane,' he says through the sobs.

'You want a candy cane?'

'NO!'

For some reason Mac starts crying even louder, as he holds onto Amy tighter, too. It all confuses Amy that she has to look to Juliet, the in-charge of the soft room, for further clarification.

'He dropped his candy cane just minutes before you came in,' she explains with a sympathetic smile, trying to soothe the boy as well by rubbing his back.

Amy simply gives her a weak smile and nods. She really does feel for Juliet. One thing Mac has taught her over the years is that babies have very, very drastic mood swings. According to what Juliet is saying, Mac was fine, and then after dropping his candy cane, he just became extremely upset. It's been a long day, and she just wants to tell him to stop crying and she'll get him a new candy cane. But that would sound too harsh directly.

'Mac, honey, it's fine. I'll get you a new candy cane, alright? I have one in my bag.'

'No! I want the first one! The one that fell!'

'But you know you can't eat something that's fallen to the ground, Mac. Remember when you ate all those M&M's that fell on the ground and got a tummy ache the next day?'

'I want my first candy cane!!!'

There is the saying 'no use crying over spilt milk', but there's no way a three-year old is going understand it. So Amy just continues hugging him, and running her fingers through his head, and trying to calm him down somehow. Normally she'd try negotiating, but he clearly wants no part in it. But she's also tired. It's been a long day, after all, and she really just wants to go home and crash out. But today, what has turned out to be one of her most stressful days at work and as a mother, just happens to be the day David has to throw his Christmas party. 

She just knows there's more chaos to follow.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics in brackets denote Amy's inner thoughts.
> 
> Enjoy :))

'God... Where's the key? Ugh!'

It's already been a frustrating night, and Amy knows it's going to get worse. Well, at least she's home, so she can get herself and Mac ready. But to get ready, they actually have to be inside the apartment, and for that she needs the key. It's not common for her to misplace anything, not even the tiniest of objects, so she knows the key is in one of her pockets. The problem is that her mind's running, and she's not thinking straight. Even if she wanted to pat herself down to search for the key, it would be impossible, because one hand is carrying the paperwork, and another Mac's backpack, which he is too upset to carry because of the candy cane incident.

'Mac, can you carry your backpack for a minute?'

Mac simply looks up at her, squinting his eyes at her, which are still red from all the crying, and folding his arms. His lower lip is sticking out to form, what Amy has to admit, the cutest pout ever. He knows that's a strength of his, and that he can manipulate almost everyone with it. But Amy has earned to resist them over the years.

'No,' he replies bluntly.

She sighs as she continues to search for the key on her.

'McClane, I don't need your attitude, alright?' she says sternly, 'I told you I'd give you a new candy cane, but you refused.'

'But I want the first one!' he says, reverting to his whiny tone.

'Ugh, Mac, don't start this all over again...'

Finally she finds the key, and heaves a sigh of relief. She really has no idea how far Mac's going to go with this whole candy cane incident tonight. She already has enough on her plate, and she definitely does not need her son's attitude to add on it. She just hopes he settles down once they're inside.

* * *

'Mommy, please? I need to color Leonardo!'

'Mac, no! You have to take a bath! You can color the Turtles later.'

'But I don't wanna take a bath!'

'No!'

'Mac, please? I'm begging you!'

'No, no, no!!!'

_(When did you become a teenager who says no to everything their parents say?!?!)_

He really is checking her patience today, and she's not sure of he knows it or not. She's already called him 'McClane' earlier, something Jake and Amy only reserve for when he really is becoming ridiculous, but he's still determined to be the sulky baby that he's being for the past half hour or so, this time by scribbling the crayons vehemently through the pages of the coloring book. She really wishes her husband was home by now. For one thing, they're already late. But then she could also hand over all the parenting duties over to him, which he would never shy away from. She loves her son, but right now, she wants a break from him.

'McClane,' she says in what is perhaps the deepest tone she has ever used for him, 'I'm giving you one last chance - either you be a good boy, and you get ready for your bath, or I'm going to carry you and throw you into the tub.'

He finally looks up from the book to Amy. He's still making that pout, because he _knows_ that's a secret and very effective weapon. He still believes he can get away with this tonight.

'No. Bath,' he enunciates, stressing both words to make his point.

_(Well, he was given the choice...)_

* * *

To be fair, she didn't throw him right into the tub. She just picked him up, despite his protests, and marched to the bathroom, placed him inside the tub, and then stripped of his clothes quickly. It didn't matter to her that he kept on chanting 'no, Mommy, no,' repeatedly as if it was some kind of mantra meant for her to stop. It continued when she applied the shampoo on him and soaped his body. But she wasn't going to stop. She tried telling him to stop fidgeting around so much, and that it would all be over soon. But, no, he just wouldn't listen to her today. This was, by far, the longest time he'd ever been stubborn. It used to only be an hour at most before; today it was going on for much longer than that.

And the resistance continued after the bath when she was drying him off. Of course, she didn't want to hurt her baby, no matter how ridiculous he was being, but she knew that she was letting out a tiny bit of her frustrations out on the towel as she rubbed him dry. She didn't try to hurt him, and the moment he winced or squealed even the tiniest bit, she immediately lowered her speed and strength. But it was a cycle, as the frustrations would grow even more when he continued to whine.

'Finally,' she says, drying away the last of the drops on his body. 'See? That wasn't so bad, was it?'

'I don't want a bath,' he grumbles, still putting up his pouty face like he has done all night.

'Yeah, well, you had one,' she replies, unimpressed with his behavior. 'Now, we can just get you changed, and...'

It's literally two seconds that she turns away from Mac to pick up his clothes, and he runs away. When she turns back to face him, he's gone. Just when she thought the night would go smoothly from here on out, Mac pulls another trick of his. So now she has to search for a naked three-year old hiding somewhere in the apartment.

'Mac, you get back here right now!' she shouts as she exits the bathroom in search of him. Surprisingly, she can hear him giggle.

Or rather it's not surprising when she sees the reason why he's giggling.

Right at the door to the apartment is her son, in the hands of the love of her life. And as long as Mac's with Jake, she can always expect him to be giggling loudly, because that's what Jake does. He just has this way around their son, that he can do anything to make him laugh. And Amy loves that. She believes it is the single most beautiful sight and sound in the whole world. She always appreciates it. Even right now, when she's in the middle of one of the most frustrating nights of her life, she can take a moment admiring father and son, and just remember that everything's fine.

'Mommy didn't give you a candy cane?'

She's immediately brought out of her little peaceful moment when she hears the question Jake asked Mac. 

'No, she didn't!'

She wants to scream, she wants to shout, she wants to break something. If there's one thing that she did try to do tonight, it was making Mac have a candy cane. Sometimes she cannot believe the audacity of her son for tattling the most blatant lies. And it burst the little bubble of happiness she was having, something she was needing desperately today. Then again, he is just three, so maybe she can forgive him? That's what her mind tells her. But her heart has had enough today from everyone, including Mac. From his attitude to his tattling, enough is enough.

'I offered you a candy cane, McClane!' she shouts, not even trying to hide anything now, 'You were the one who refused to take it! I offered you again, and again, and again. And then you give me all your attitude - with your no bath argument, and running around in the apartment naked. Do you know how frustrating that is? Can't you just listen to me for two minutes and do what I say?!'

She's met by wide eyes from her boys by the time she's done, both looking exactly the same. She just stands there, regaining her breath after the mini-rant, finally feeling a bit of the tension leave her body. But there's another tension that takes its place in the room, as Mac and Jake look worried and concerned. When she finally notices their expressions, it finally hits her that she shouted at Mac. She's never shouted at Mac before, and she realizes why - it doesn't feel good. She didn't give it an ounce of thought; she just blurted out everything that came to her mind. She wants to take it all back, but it's too late. 

'I should... I'm gonna take a shower...' 

She grimaces as she walks away, hoping they can all forget her little 'episode'.

* * *

She's not even sure why she said she'd take a shower; she took one this morning before going to work. It was just the first think that came to mind; she wanted to just escape Jake and Mac's stares. She loves her job. She loves her boys more than anything in the world. But sometimes she just wants a break from all of it. Not forever, just a couple of hours. And that's what she hopes the party will be like, but she knows better than that. Even the party will have her parents comparing her with David, and that'll probably be pretty much it.

She gathers her thoughts as she steps out of the bathroom and heads straight for the wardrobe. She furrows her brows as she shuffles through the different dresses she has in there. There was one particular dress she was planning on wearing tonight, and she can't find it.

'Looking for this?'

She turns around to find Jake holding the exact dress she was looking for. By the look of it, she presumes he ironed it for her. A small smile curls on her face. It's little things like this that make her love him more and more everyday. And he's wearing his suit. God, he looks great in a suit, she tells herself. To be fair, she thinks he looks good in anything he wears (and also when he doesn't wear anything). She also notices that he's smiling back at her, which means he's not mad at her for her earlier... 'tantrum'.

'Thank you,' she says sincerely, planting a kiss on his cheek and taking the dress from him.

'No problem. I mean, I love this dress so I'm always gonna make sure it's in perfect condition.'

'Right... And why is this your favorite dress?'

'Well, first of all, it's the dress you wore to our first date. Second of all, you look amazing in this dress every time. Third of all, every time you wear this dress, we end up having sex.'

She whips her head back to look at him. He looks proud at the points he's made, and she looks amused. It's not really something she's realized before, and it's not that they _only_ have sex when she wears this. But now that she think about it, there is truth in what he says. Every time she wears this red dress, whether it's for a party or for date night, they have sex. Perhaps on a subconscious level this has been her favorite dress, too.

'So, does that mean you're expecting sex tonight?'

'Normally, I would. But you already look tired so... I'm giving it a 50-50 chance.'

She rolls her eyes at his remark, but still lets out a small chuckle. It does remind her of what happened earlier, when she shouted at him, and she feels so guilty about it. 

_(He deserves an explanation.)_

'I'm sorry about earlier,' she says.

'Sorry?' he asks, and his face looks all confused.

'Yeah, I just - Do you think this dress shows?' she asks, distracted from the subject after seeing her reflection.

'That you're amazing? 100%!'

'Wha- No, Jake, I'm serious! Does this dress _show_?'

He knows Amy well by now to know her concerned face. It's the one she has on right now, and it's only reserved for times when she's worried something will go wrong. But nothing can go wrong, he believes, because she's Amy Santiago.

'Ames, don't worry,' he tells her softly after wrapping his arms from behind, 'No one can tell; it barely shows.'

He plants a kiss on her temple, which makes her smile wider. She admired their reflection in the mirror, and can understand why Charles adores them - they look amazing together; always have and always will. And her smile reaches its extreme limits when he takes her hand and gently guides it to her belly.

'Thanks for carrying a baby in there again.'

She laughs again, something that has been so rare today. 'I think you mean _our_ baby?'

'I mean, yeah, it is our baby. But if I thank you for carrying our baby, then it sounds like I'm doing just as much work as you.'

'Which you are.'

'Not as much as you, no. I mean, you're literally carrying our little bean around. I'm just there for stand-by, doing the best I can.'

'Come on, you know you're doing more than that, Jake. And you're not just doing your best; you're doing a lot more than that.'

'I love you.'

'I love you, too.'

They continue to stand there in front of the mirror, and Amy finally feels like the ight is headed for a positive direction. She knows she still hasn't apologized to him yet, but she really doesn't want to ruin the moment. For now she just wants to picture how their lives will change again in seven months, and they may be standing in front of this very mirror with Mac being carried by one of them, and the other carrying the newest addition to the family. 

'DADDY!!!!!'

The sound of Mac screaming accompanied by a loud crash coming from the living room makes Amy look towards her husband with absolute vexation. The parents are immediately pulled out of their trance and they rush outside quickly, only to find the Christmas tree they had set up now on the ground, and Mac on the sofa, enjoying a candy cane.

'Mac, you alright?' Jake asks quickly, taking a seat beside him.

'Yeah?' he replies, smiling and licking the sugary treat eagerly.

'Well, how did the tree fall down?'

'Uh....'

Amy is perplexed to say the least. She's a cop, and she can tell _exactly_ what happened in here. Mac's face is ridden with guilt, which only solidifies her inferences.

'Jake?'

'Yeah?'

'I think I know what happened.'

'What?

'Mac tried reaching for the candy canes on the Christmas tree, and he brought the whole tree down.'


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics in brackets are Amy's internal thoughts.  
> Enjoy :))

Amy presses the doorbell with a sigh. It's been a long night already, and she knows it's probably going to get worse in the company of her parents. Don't get her wrong, she loves her parents, and she'd meet them any time, anywhere... just as long as her brother David wasn't in the same room. Perhaps the only reason she loves David is because they're siblings, because she hates him in every other regard. Her parents have always heaped praises on David, leaving no doubt that they love him more than the others, even though they'll never admit it. So it doesn't exactly paint her in the best picture that she's an hour late already tonight.

'Mommy, are you mad at me?'

She looks down to see her toddler tugging on her coat from the side, looking up at her earnestly. He looks scared and guilty, extremely different to how he was behaving just an hour ago. There are a few reasons for that - he's seen his mother shout at him for the first time being the most obvious one. But, oh, he is adorable. At those puppy eyes and pout that he inherited from his dad are definitely melting her heart right now. But she doesn't want him to be scared, especially of her. He has a beautiful smile and a beautiful pair of eyes. His laugh is so infectious that it makes her laugh in her most depressing moments. Those attributes of Mac are what she loves; not this one.

'Of course not,' she says with a smile, scooping him up and balancing him on her one side. With a new baby coming along, maybe she won't be able to carry Mac around much, so best she seizes every possible moment now.

'Sorry I broke the tree,' he says softly. He doesn't even have the heart to look at her. He just looks down at his own tiny hands, as he grasps the collar of her coat and plays flips it from one side to another aimlessly. 

_(He is so cute when he's nervous!!)_

'Sweetie, you didn't break the tree; you just brought it down.'

'Oh...'

'It's okay. Let's forget about it, alright?' She plants a kiss on his nose, turning his frown into a wide, toothy grin - another carbon copy attribute of Jake's,

Mac wraps his arms around Amy's neck and rests his head in the crook. This feels so normal to Amy after three years. It's relaxing, too, she feels. Knowing that a little person loves being in your arms, and trying every single time to be as close to you as possible is the single most beautiful thing she has experienced. And despite having a rough time with the same guy a while back, he's the one making her feel relaxed now, and she loves him for it. She can also feel Jake's hand resting on the small of her back, one of their little ways of being intimate in public.

'Hey, you guys finally made it!' David says as he _(finally)_ answers the door.

'Merry Christmas, Tio Dave!!'

* * *

'Is everyone here already?'

'Yeah, pretty much... I mean, you guys are without doubt the last ones to arrive, and that's overall last, not just Santiago family last.'

Oh, she's in for it today. Amy knows there's no way she's going to impress her parents tonight; that was actually clear two hours back. But knowing that she's the last of the 50+ guests tonight is a personal low for her. That's just the way she was brought up, and old habits are hard to let go of. It is true that she's become more relaxed over such things over the years, and that's the Peralta effect on her life. There are way more important things in life, she tells herself, and fretting about whether you're the last or first guest at a party is not one of them.

'Where's Christopher?' Mac asks, searching around for one of his cousins.

'Actually, all the kids are upstairs. You wanna go there?' David asks his nephew.

The sweet boy just looks over at his mother. So far he had learnt to always let Amy answer on his behalf when it came to things he could/couldn't do. Even something as simple and innocent as meeting his cousins needed validation from her. And Amy knows that's what he wants as soon as he turned towards her.

'Sweetie, of course you can go play with your cousins,' she says with a small laugh, ruffling his hair a bit as well, but not too much because she knows Jake would get annoyed at her ruining 'all the hard work'. 

And just like that, Mac's off, pulling his uncle by the hand, so that he can go meet all his cousins. Every single thing about her little man is adorable, and she just loves how eager he is to meet his cousins. She knows that Jake is also smiling at the same scene as her. When she had broken up with Teddy, all those years ago, David and Stephanie had just had Christopher. Every family gathering since then meant getting gifts for all the gifts for her nieces and nephews. She was the only Santiago sibling who didn't have a baby, and there were times when she wondered if she'd ever have a mini-version of her who would accompany her during gatherings. To be fair, Mac did turn out to be more of a mini-version of Jake than herself, but that didn't matter to her. What mattered to her were that they were a family - a happy _(expanding)_ family.

'Oh...'

Amy looks up to find Jake's attention has turned to something else by now, and he doesn't look comfortable at all. The way he said _oh_ was also too unusual to miss. It sounded like he realized he made a mistake, but it also sounded like he was trying to calm himself down. It can't be that he did something wrong just now, and it's not like he realized he did something wrong at home... did he?

'What is it?'

'Oh, um... Nothing!' he says quickly, finally taking his eyes off whatever he was looking at.

_(Doesn't he know I'm a lieutenant?)_

All she has to do is look in the same direction he was looking, and she gets her answer - he got nervous because he saw her parents. 

Jake and Amy have been together for seven years now, married for five of those years, and yet he's still scared of her parents. Okay, she can understand why - her parents haven't exactly warmed up to him entirely. But that doesn't mean they hate him. Well... Okay, yes, maybe they do speak Spanish around him or look at him condescendingly every now and then, but even she does that sometimes. 

'Come on, Jake, you're not seriously still scared of my parents are you?'

'What? Me? No. I'm not scared! You're the one who's scared!'

_(I can see where Mac gets his cuteness from when he's nervous)_

'So, then you'll have no problem with us going to meet them, right?'

'Um... Maybe a bit later? I don't want to disturb Mr. Santiago and his rum...'

With a roll of her eyes, she takes his hand and guides them across the room.

* * *

'Mami! Papi!' Amy exclaims, hugging both her parents as she greets her.

'Oh, mija, you finally made it!' Victor says.

'Or were you just hiding away from us for the past two hours?' Camila asks.

The tone her mother is using is hard to tell whether she's being serious or if she's just kidding. But her mother rarely kids, so she's definitely being serious. The condescending begins even before she welcomes her... great...

'Had a long day at the precinct,' she explains.

'Oh, that's alright. Happens all the time. You'll be able to manage you're own time once you make lieutenant,' Victor tells her.

'Amy's already a lieutenant.'

Her eyes go wide as soon as Jake says that, and she looks over at her parents, who just glare at him. Okay, she has to admit, they're still not particularly fond of Jake, and it bugs her. They guy has done everything to make them like him, but they're the ones who don't make the effort. And they're her parents, so she can't exactly tell her off. But she's not going to tell Jake off for defending her. He's her hype man, and he's always trying to portrait her in the best light in front of her parents. But he's not even hyping her right now; he's just stating a fact - a plain and simple fact. She is a lieutenant now, and she has been for the past two months. She told them moments after she got the letter, and yet they still can't remember. Yet another example of how they overlook her - and the other siblings - but not David. 

'Yes, we know, Jake. But thank you for ruining my joke.'

It takes great restraint in Amy's part to not scoff right there. They just have to come out on top over Jake every single time. And poor Jake. She just wants to cup his face and tell him it's alright, but the most she can do is quietly hold his hand and give it a light squeeze. 

'So how's Mac? And is he here?'

_(Really, Mom? You're not even gonna greet Jake or ask how he's doing?)_

'Mac's good. Yeah, he's excited for Christmas. He's upstairs with the other kids.'

'Oh, speaking about Mac and Christmas,' Victor continues, 'We have something special for Mac this year.'

That does bring a smile to her face. Her parents have always loved Christmas, and they shower Mac with plenty of gifts each year. Honestly, it's one of the sweetest things she's seen - Mac and his grandparents, especially during Christmastime. Last year they decorated the tree for the apartment together, as Camila told her grandson different Christmas stories and taught him Christmas carols, too. So, yes, when it comes to the subject of Mac with his grandparents and Christmastime, it is a lovely subject, which is also a safe subject for conversation between them and Jake.

'Really? What did you get him?' Amy asks with a wide smile.

'Well,' Camila answers, 'He is three now, so I presume he can read a bit at least... So, we got him some books in Spanish for kids!'

'Oh, my god! Mami, that's so sweet of you!!'

'Yes, just imagine, our little grandson can speak with us in Spanish the next time we meet him!' Victor chimes in as well.

It's going so well, and Amy just pictures how it might be like when Mac does become able to speak Spanish more fluently. They've already started the basics with him - like counting from uno to diez, or calling aunts and uncles tia and tio respectively. Somewhere down the line she knew that her son was going to be fluent in both English and Spanish, but she didn't think it could be this soon. It's not that she's complaining, but she'll have to make sure Mac doesn't get confused between reading Spanish and English. If anything, it's good news for her since she'll have to plan more now.

_(More binders!)_

'Of course I hope _you_ don't have a problem with that, Jake...'

And just like that, her little bubble of happiness has burst for the umpteenth time tonight. She just cannot catch a break today - whether it's Mac or her mom. At least Mac wasn't doing it on purpose...

It's the way Camila addresses Jake that really frustrates her. She's saying his name as of he's the devil, the snake in their garden. Why, oh why, does it have to be like this between them? It's not even like they both hate each other. Jake at least tries to maintain some sort of relationship with his in-laws; Camila and Victor do not. And Jake... Oh, Jake looks so confused. He, much like her, has no idea how this subject of Christmas gifts for Mac has turned into a confrontation. He's just standing there, eyes darting back and forth from Amy and her parents, absolutely taken by surprise.

'I.. I, uh... I don't... I don't have a problem with that, Mrs. Santiago.'

'Are you sure? Because I'm sure we can sort this out right now if you do.'

And with that, Amy pulls her husband away from her parents to end the whole confrontation session.

* * *

Amy has no idea what to say or do even when they're far away from her parents for now. It's awkward... She's with Jake, and she's feeling awkward. The last time that happened was when she wore this dress for him the first time. It's not a good feeling knowing that your rock - your constant - is the person you're feeling awkward with. They've gone through so much together - from having their first fight, to having trouble conceiving - and she's never felt awkward with him. She's felt other emotions - happiness, sorrow, joy, hurt. Heck, she even mentioned his butt in her wedding vows, and that wasn't awkward!

'Um... That was weird, right?' he asks, too nervous to break the silence between them.

'Yes,' she answers softly.

'Were they, um... Were they implying that I have a problem with Mac learning Spanish?'

'Yes...'

'Oh... And, um... Why were th- '

'I don't know, Jake!' she snaps at him, clearly having had enough with everything for the day.

Any other person would probably have just walked away briskly, annoyed at her sudden outburst. But this is Jake Peralta, the man who never leaves Amy Santiago, so he just takes her hands in his, and presses them together. He smiles weakly at her, trying to tell her it's all fine. And she just lets out a deep sigh of relief that she didn't know she was hiding. He knows her so well, and he knows all these little things that helps her ease herself. When she looks back at him, she just wants to cry. He looks so beautiful, and so kind, and so loving. He shouldn't have to deal with everything she's having to face tonight. Or, in the very least, she shouldn't be pouring out her frustrations on him. Just because she's having a shitty night doesn't mean he should, too.

'We can go home if you're tired, okay?' he whispers softly, making sure no one else can hear them.

She just nods, because she can feel a lump in her throat developing thanks to the whole emotional feeling developing inside her all of a sudden.

_(Damn you, hormones!)_

'I love you,' he whispers, placing a kiss on her cheek, before walking away and joining a conversation with her brothers.

_(I love you, too.)_

Somehow she composes herself almost the very moment he leaves her. The hormones can really be weird.

She goes to get herself a glass of water to calm her nerves, and on her way she can see her parents in conversation with some other people. Completely opposite to her and Jake, Camila and Victor are laughing and seem to be having a good time. It doesn't matter to them that they just wrongly accused Jake of something, even though Amy has no idea why. She loves them, and they her. Mac loves them, and they him. Jake loves them _(okay, he really just likes them at the most)_ , but they don't care about him at all. Even for the sake of their daughter and their grandson, they almost certainly don't care about their son-in-law. Maybe it is time for her to accept the fact that Jake is right - her parents hate him. 

_(Enough is enough.)_

* * *

'Mom, Dad, we need to talk.'

'Oh, what is it, mija?'

Amy sighs as she looks at both of them for a moment, thinking this through for one last time. 'What did you mean?'

'What did we mean when?' Camila asks.

'When you said you hoped it was fine with Jake that you bought Mac Spanish books? What did you mean?'

Her parents share a look, almost like they don't want to answer they're daughter's question. But she won't have it that way. If they say it's no big deal or something along those lines, she'll just bug them constantly until she finally gets the answer.

'Well, Amy, mija,' Victor starts, 'Jake just doesn't seem... It doesn't seem like you get to practice your culture around him.'

'What are you talking about...?'

'Amy, dear, just think about it,' Camila continues, 'You used to talk with us in Spanish before and now you don't.'

'Wha- That's because Jake doesn't understand Spanish! He'd feel left out! If you want, we can talk in Spanish right now.'

'It's not just about talking in Spanish, Amy.'

'Mom, Jake lets me practice my cultures, okay?! It's not like I live under some dictatorship! If anything, he's the one who's going out of his way to make Christmas perfect for Mac and me every year, because he wants to celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah!'

'Then if you can practice your culture, why don't I see any Spanish books for Mac when we come visit?'

'Because Mac still can't read fluently yet! How do you still not get it? He's three, for crying out loud! He's still learning how to read English. If I introduce him to a new language, he's gonna get all confused!'

'Then why don't - '

'No, please, just stop! Just admit that you hate Jake, and you're just bringing all these little nitpicks so you can undermine him. Because that's all you two have been doing, ever since I told you I was dating him. You did a comprehensive research on him, and you hated everything you saw, because he's not like us; he's not organized, and not super smart, and not a binder-enthusiast. But I love him, and he's my husband, okay? And I love him for being a sweet, loving man, and for being a great father to Mac. So can't you just, please, accept him for who he is, and try to build some sort of relationship with him?'

By the time she's over with her little speech, she knows a couple of the guests are looking at them. But she doesn't care about them. Her main focus is what her parents' reaction will be. But by the looks of it, they're both uncomfortable with the question posed at them. They can't even agree to try to accept Jake, and let go of what they've always thought of him. And it's enough for Amy to know that some things will never change...

* * *

It is cold. So, so cold. But Amy still would much rather stay outside in this cold than go back in there. She doesn't want to be anywhere near her parents anymore. It's frustrating and infuriating. She loves her parents, of course she does. Even if they always judge her and demoralize her, she still loves them. But why can't they just accept Jake for who he is? It is certainly not a pleasant feeling to know that your parents _(still)_ hate the man you love - your husband, and the father of your child. She always knew her parents hated him, but she just never accepted it. They don't make any comments on her brothers' partners, so why should they look down at Jake? At least Jake doesn't hate them, otherwise she'd be stuck between having to choose her family or the future for a family. 

And it's not like they're argument was logical. Yes, the Santiagos had been unfortunately subjected to racism in the past. But did Victor and Camila really think Jake was a racist who wouldn't let Amy practice her traditions? Even if he were a racist, somehow, why on earth would he be near Amy in the first place then? Why would he fall in love with her, and marry her? Why would he be the one to suggest their son should be Peralta-Santiago, and not just Peralta? Why would he be the one to make sure Amy and Mac always had the best Christmas when he wasn't even sure of all the traditions?

They have such a bad image of Jake in their head.

She hears the door open behind her, and she suspects it's just some other guest that's leaving, just like it has been for the few minutes she's been out. But she's a bit startled when she feels a hand on her shoulder. Only for a few minutes, though, because that grip and warmth can be only coming from one man. And when she does look behind, she's right. She can't help but smile at the sight of her husband, carrying a sleeping Mac in one arm, as he stands beside her. 

_(God, I hope Mac never grows up or stops sucking his thumb as he sleeps...)_

'Hey,' he whispers softly; partially to not disturb their son's sleep, partially because the outside is so much more peaceful than the inside, and he does not want to disturb that.

'Hi.'

'So... What you doing out here in the cold?'

'Oh, nothing... Just thinking.'

'Yeah, I know you were thinking, Ames. What were you thinking about?'

She wants to tell him so bad, because he's her confidant. There isn't a single thing she would hide away from him (unless they pertain to the annual Halloween heist). But how is she supposed to tell him that her parents hate him? It would just crush him, and she doesn't want that.

'You know...' she stalls trying to come up with some excuse, 'How we're, you know, expecting a new baby... and we're at a house.... So we should probably try looking for one?'

She's actually quite pleased with the way she came up with that. It is a totally plausible scenario, but also one that makes her actually think about now. Right now Jake, Amy and Mac live in an apartment, which they love of course. But they will eventually have to move out, because four people - no matter how small two of those four people will be - is going to be too crowded in there. 

'C'mon... I know that's not what you were thinking about...'

Maybe she should just stop thinking about something happy. The universe has a cruel way of bringing her out of her thoughts tonight. For a change, though, this may be for the better, because Jake actually will listen to her. And what was she thinking? That Jake would not be able to read her after all these years of knowing each other? 

_(What a great idea, Amy!)_

'Okay, look,' she says with a sigh, 'After we got away from my parents, I kinda went back to them to ask what they meant by asking of you were fine with Mac getting books for Christmas, and... Ugh, there is just no easy way to say this... My parents hate you...'

She winces as she whispers the last part. She doesn't really know if he heard her or not, because his expression is literally the same as it was when he found her out here. 

'That's it?'

'What do you mean _that's it_? It's a big deal!'

'Is it? I mean, I have been telling you that for years, and you've always said that it's not true.'

'Yeah, well, this time I'm saying that it is true. And it's not that I'm proud of it, but... Ugh, I still can't say it.'

She just collapses into him, as he wraps one arm around her, and she just wants to stay like this forever. He is so warm, after all he is her primary source for heat during the winter. And he smells so good, and his muscles feel feel tense. To top it off, he's carrying the cutest baby in his other arm. 

'Babe, why does this matter to you?'

Amy looks up at him with an _are-you-serious_ face. 

'Oh, I don't know Jake. Hm... Why would I be bothered that my parents hate the person I love?'

He just chuckles at her, pulling her closer to him as well. Sarcastic Amy is not one to be messed around with, and he knows that. But he does find this version of his wife entertaining, especially when it's directed at people other than him. Too bad it's at him right now.

'I get why they don't like me, Ames. I'm not, like, anywhere near your standards, or theirs, so... They probably see me as entropy.'

'It doesn't bother you?'

_(And did you just use a science term correctly? Oh, mama...)_

'At first, it did,' he admits, 'But now not so much... I've figured not everyone's gonna like me, even my wife's parents. So... But if they hated you for dating me, or hated Mac for being my son, then it'd bother me.'

Their attention turns to the sleeping boy as Jake takes his name. He mumbles something as he switches thumbs, and Jake just rubs his back soothingly to make sure he doesn't wake up. This gives Amy some time to think over what he said. It's true that you can't please everyone, and that's not his fault. But the fact that he cares more about her parents' opinions on her and Mac than on himself speaks volumes of the kind of man he is. Weirdly, she's getting a deja vu moment from a while back when she was still with Teddy.

No, she doesn't always remember Teddy when she's with Jake, but she and Teddy had a similar conversation when they were together. She had decided that David's annual Christmas party would be a good time to introduce her family to him, but it was shambolic. The guy just went on and on about pilsners, something none of her relatives were too keen on. Much like with Jake now, David and Camila tried talking in Spanish around him, backbiting him in a different language even though Teddy was right on front of them. What they didn't know, however, was that Teddy was fluent in Spanish, and he understood all the insults. Amy had tried telling him that it was fine, that her parents backbit about everyone, including her - their daughter. But Teddy just brushed it off; he didn't believe that someone wouldn't appreciate their daughter. He only cared about his image, not Amy's.

But Jake's not like that; he keeps her (and Mac) first. And to think that people said Teddy was more mature than Jake. It irks her when people makes comments like that, because she knows just how great her husband is, and that no other guy on the planet can hold a candle to him in any regard. If only people - and by that she means her parents - could see how amazing this guy actually is, maybe they could grow to like him.

But it doesn't matter to her anymore about who likes or dislikes him. She and Mac (and their new baby) love him, and he them. That is all that matters to her.

And that's when it hits her - they haven't kissed today. It started when he got an early call for work, and after they finally met at the day, things were just way too chaotic for her to take a little break on her husband's lips. Yes, she's kissed him on the cheek, and he's done the same on hers. But she knows the real prize is those soft lips, which she gently leans forward to and he leans back into hers quite readily. After they've separated, they smile at each other widely, because now they know that the night will be good from here on out, even though they're pretty much tuckered out. Again, they're brought out of their thoughts, and this sound of Mac mumbling again. And although she's been brought out of her bubble yet again, she's still smiling at their little bubba.

'Hey, did Mac eat?' she asks, her motherly instincts just kicking in randomly.

'Oh, yeah. Apparently, they had this whole mini-buffet of finger foods sort of thing for the kids in the room upstairs, and according to the other kids, he ate the most.'

Amy's not sure why, but that makes her proud of her son. Maybe the fact that he knows how to eat well?

'Oh, hey, you wanna know something?' he asks. 'When I went to check on this guy, he was already pretty tired, but he said he was excited for Christmas, and guess what he wished for?'

'What?' she ask excitedly.

'He said he wanted a baby brother.'

That has to be the sweetest thing she's ever heard, and it's definitely making her cry. She loves her little man so much, and she is so excited to tell her son the news soon.

'Well, I don't know about the baby brother,' she says, 'But he's definitely gonna like the "Big Brother" shirts Santa's getting him for Christmas.'

'He will... Hey, did you eat?'

'No, not really.'

'Excuse me, but have you forgotten that you're pregnant?'

'Yeah, Jake, and I even drank a glass or two,' she says with a roll of her eyes.

'Okay, I know you're joking, but that actually scares me...'

'I didn't eat much because I was tired, and having all these thought, and, honestly, the food smelled real bad...'

'What are you talking about? The food was great!'

'Oh, now look who's forgotten that their wife's pregnant... I'm not saying that the food was bad; just that little bean over here was telling me to avoid all those... Come to think of it, I want your mac and cheese now.'

'Damn, this kid's picky,' he says, taking her hand and walking towards their car, knowing full well that a craving Amy will not stop until she gets what she wants.

'You're damn right they are!' she plays along, but turns to him with a sneaky smile. 'Plus,' she continues in a very sultry tone, 'If you do a good job with the mac and cheese, I could reward you in a special way...'

And they made sure the streak with the red dress continued and stayed strong.

**Author's Note:**

> Right, so this is my fic for the Christmas season, and even though there's not much about Christmas itself, it is set at a Christmas party, so I suppose it works :P
> 
> And it's gonna be three chapters, because I think it's too long to fit it all in one
> 
> Anyway, let me know if you have any thoughts on it. Kudos and comments are always cherished.
> 
> You can find me on Tumblr, too, @dolston17
> 
> Merry Christmas!


End file.
